Layer 1: Inputs: The Hidden Dimensions of Sensory Perception Conclusi

Considering space as vital to sensory health, its quality becomes important to well-being, this leads to examine the role of the environment on a child’s sensory experience as it shapes the positive or negative nature of that energy. Consequently, understanding a highly sensitive child’s sensory health requires “detective” work since what is toxic can be without matter, form, odour, visual, or any sensory element we are used to recognize. All of the experiences of a child with a family, the world and technology provide the senses with multitudes of sensory inputs. This complex landscape of stimuli informs the child of his/her existence in the world. Often, a child is not capable of understanding where he/she begins and where the world ends. This confusion can create distress in a child who cannot articulate the effect of toxicity on his/her sense of being. If you are ticklish, imagine these invisible forces tickling you constantly without any way of expressing your discomfort. Imagine not having the words to say this tickling is too strong and the adults around you not even knowing what tickling is. This is the dilemma heightened senses can create in a child.

Thus the importance for parents to help children figure their being boundaries; boundaries that are established in space and through the senses. The simple acknowledgment of a sensory spatial dimension can help us understand what a heightened sensory being may be experiencing. These children sense invisible sensory stimuli, and without the proper social and cultural learning to interpret these signals, nor the vocabulary to describe them. Unable to explain what these sensations are and how they are affecting them, their only conduit to expressing this distress becomes to “over” or “under” react, external behaviours being the only communication tool available to articulate their discomfort.